Javelin: NO MAS

This DJ duo creates sprightly electronic pop with the proggy bounce of Ratatat and a beat-driven nerdcore sense of humor. The results are almost always entertaining, and occasionally, transcendent.

For instance, don’t even go as far as the third track, “Oh! Centra”, unless you’re in it for the long haul; this earworm WILL infect you, and even though you like it, it will drive you fucking crazy after a while. Then there’s “Intervales Theme”, cosmic but pedestrian; it’s not funky but it seems like it is. “Tell Me, What Will It Be?” is another insanely catchy nugget, surf rock meets flute-fueled funk, which is possible as it turns out.

The only real dud on the album is “Moscow 1980”, a pleasant enough time-waster all the same. There’s so much going on elsewhere, you won’t mind the respite. Lots of confusing juxtapositions of emotions, but you never lose the overriding good will behind everything. The best part is the way these tunes resonate within you even beyond the maddening hooks. The arrangements, and even the sparse lyrics, are often touching in an odd way, but never at the expense of fun.

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Cal Roach is a word whore currently being pimped sporadically by Milwaukee Record and the Journal Sentinel, and giving it away for nothing right here at you-phoria.com. He also co-hosts the Local/Live program on 91.7 WMSE FM every Tuesday at 6 p.m. and spouts nonsense on twitter as @roachcraft.